Putin’s forthcoming remarriage a blatant rumor – Peskov

Dmitry Peskov made a statement to this effect in an interview aired by Radio Ekho Moskvy.

Peskov said Putin’s divorce was the spouses’ ‘common decision’ and wasn’t prompted by a new relationship.

“A quick look at the president’s schedule is enough to understand that he is married to his job and that there is no room for family or a romantic relationship in his more than busy life as head of state”, - Peskov said.

The presidential spokesman said he didn’t know when the divorce proceedings would start.

“Putin’s personal life is his business alone”, - he added.

Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin have been married for almost 30 years: their wedding took place on July 28, 1983. They have two daughters - Maria, born in 1985, and Katerina, born in 1986.

While occupying the highest state posts, Putin preferred not to disclose his personal life. He reluctantly and briefly answered such questions made by journalists. On June 6, Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin appeared together at a ballet performance in the Kremlin, and this joint public appearance was the first in more than a year.

It was after the performance that Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin revealed their divorce in an interview with the Russia-24 TV channel. "We will remain good friends forever. I am grateful to Vladimir Vladimirovich for his support," Lyudmila Putina said.

“It [the divorce] was our decision, our marriage is over," Putin said. "We almost don't see each other. We each have our own life," he added. Lyudmila Putina explained: "I don't like publicity, and flights are difficult for me".

"We love our children, we are proud of them, we see a lot of them," Lyudmila Putina said. And Vladimir Putin added that their daughters had received their education in Russia and permanently lived in Russia".

In April, during the "direct line" with Russian public, Putin failed to answer the question on whether he was happy. "It's a philosophical question. I am infinitely grateful to the citizens of the Russian Federation for trusting me and for having faith in me as the President of Russia. This is my whole life," he confessed.

"I don't know whether it is enough for happiness," Putin said.

Until yesterday, Vladimir Putin always appeared in public with his wedding ring on his right hand. This morning, the ring was also on his finger, when the head of the state held a meeting on education issues in the Kremlin. This fact is confirmed by photographs made by the President's press service and posted on the official website of the Kremlin. During the evening interview with the Russia-24 TV channel after the performance in the Kremlin, Putin was wearing the ring, too.

In the interview with the Russia-24TV channel, the Russian President explained the reason for the divorce. "All my activities, all my work involve publicity, absolute publicity. Some like it, some don’t, but there are people who are completely incompatible with this [publicity]," he said, and he added that nevertheless "Lyudmila Aleksandrovna has been on this watch for 9 years already." "In general, it was a mutual decision," the head of the state noted. Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin answered “yes” to the question on whether it was a divorce: "We may say that it was a civilized divorce".

"Our marriage is terminated due to the fact that we practically do not see each other. Vladimir Vladimirovich is completely immersed in his work, our children are grown up, and they live their own lives. It so happened that we each have our own life. I don't like publicity and flights are difficult for me," Lyudmila admitted.

"Lyudmila Alexandrovna and I will remain very close friends forever. Forever, I am sure," Putin believes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov has called on the public to treat the president's private life with respect and not intrude into it.

Peskov refrained from answering Interfax on how Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin's daughters had taken the news about their divorce.

"Anything that concerns Vladimir Putin's private life concerns only him, and he has never made it public. This is his principle, he has deserved this right, and let's treat it with respect," he said.

Peskov said he was unaware of Lyudmila Putin's plans and did not know whether she planned to leave the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow.

"I am not informed about this," he said. Peskov denied that the Putins deliberately chose the time and venue for announcing their divorce. When asked by Interfax why the couple announced their intention to separate precisely on Thursday evening, Peskov replied, "It just happened so. The journalist simply asked the question, and the President answered."

Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin announced their intention to separate after visiting the premiere of the ballet Esmeralda based on Victor Hugo's novel Notre Dame de Paris at the Grand Kremlin Palace on Thursday evening.

Peskov noted the Putins had not yet formalized their divorce but only announced their intention to do so. An Interfax correspondent reported from the palace that Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin looked absolutely calm throughout the performance, and Lyudmila was smiling both while entering and exiting the hall.

This was the first time the Putins appeared together in public in a long time. Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin married on July 28, 1983. They have two daughters, Maria, born in 1985, and Katerina, born in 1986.

On Thursday evening, the President and his wife attended the "Esmeralda" ballet at the State Kremlin Palace. After the ballet they gave an interview to one of the prominent Russian TV channels in which Mrs Putin claimed her marriage with the President was over.

"Yes, we can say this is a civilized divorce", said Mrs Putin.

Mr Putin, in turn, said "this was a mutual decision".

The President also added that the reason behind his divorce from Lyudmila is rooted in the fact that not every person is ready for such a high degree of publicity which the President's wife has to face on an every day basis.

"All my work is related to the public sphere, where absolute publicity is a necessary prerequisite. Some people like it, some do not, but there are people who cannot live with it at all", - Putin said.

"Lyudmila was such a public person for 8 years, already 9" - the President added.

"I don't like publicity, and I have problems with flying," said Lyudmila Putina. "We are very fond of our children, we are proud of them, and we see them all the time."

"Yes, I support the words of Vladimir Vladimirovich," said Lyudmila Putina. "It's true that it was our joint decision. And it's also true that the reason why our marriage is over is that we practically don't see each other. Vladimir Vladimirovich is completely immersed in his work, our children have grown up, each of them has her own life. To sum up, we've ended up in a situation where each of us has our own life. And it's true that I don't like publicity."

Vladimir Putin said their children "have been educated in Russia and live in Russia permanently."

"We will forever remain very close people," said Lyudmila Putina. I'm grateful to Vladimir Vladimirovich that he supports me."

Asked whether they were divorced, Lyudmila said it was a "civilised divorce". But neither clarified whether they were legally divorced and Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he did not know.

The couple had last been seen in public together at Putin's inauguration to his third presidential term on May 7, 2012.

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